Wichita ? Supporters of the Kansas African American Museum will ask the city council for land and money to move and expand the facility.

But the city wants proof of the museum’s financial support before agreeing to provide help, and financial backers want a commitment from the city before putting up money.

The 23-year-old museum is currently housed in a secluded building next to the county jail. Supporters want to move it to city-owned land near the Arkansas River.

The plans are fueled by Kansan Gordon Parks’ promise to donate photographs and other pieces if supporters raise money to build a state-of-the-art black history museum.

Parks a Fort Scott native whose photography, filmmaking, writing and composing chronicled racial issues and brought him worldwide fame wants some of his work displayed in his home state.

Eric Key, the museum’s director since 1997, and museum supporters plan to go before the city council on Tuesday to ask for a piece of riverbank land where the city amphitheater now sits and $50,000 annually for operating expenses.

“I want it to be one of the premier African-American museums in the country,” said Key.

Key envisions a $51 million capital campaign for a new museum, operating expenses and an endowment. The new $28 million, 45,000-square-foot building would be one of the largest black museums in the nation. The target date for completion is 2006.